LightningRacer

Hello all.

I have a few questions. If I made my own hull I have a engine and not including radio equipment how much would it cost to build a weedeater boat. All i have for the engine is a stock moter still on a weedeater. I dont want anything fancy just something to play with on weekends at the lake. (cant take too much funds away from the planes)

Any Help would be great.

75Blazer

I'm building a boat one piece at a time and have less than $200 into it. That's including buying a hull not building one. If you know how to fabricate stuff, you can do it pretty cheaply.

For your project, the running hardware will be the biggest expense. You can get an aluminum set on ebay for around $80.

Doubledog

My Feedback: (48)

Building a hull sounds like fun when you have cabin fever and have too much time on your hands. However, I can appreciate the hard work and effort someone would put into a craft.

With that said my question would come up as to WHY build it when you can buy very nice hulls for probably less that what you'd pay to build? I can see piecing a hull together with things picked up from here & there, but building in my opinion only , no way.

You can get a great hull from $150-250. You'll need your running gear, radio & box, along with the engine & fuel tank. Radio box is a simple as a tupperware container with a few pieces of wood for servo rails. Its cheap & don't look so good, but it works.

Build some motor mounts yourself. Pick up a few good props on ebay and have a ball. Sounds like fun no matter what road you choose.

Ph cM

mbba2002

My Feedback: (10)

it would cost you from $150 to $200 to buy material to build a hull+ your time. its cheaper to buy a made hull. Total cost to build your own would be $400-700. you can find boats in that price to buycomplete less radio.

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

I built a 50" cat once, glassed it and painted it, went to home depot, got a homelite wheedeater, put the engine in it, got a strudder from octura and went for it! Fun boat.

billzair

My Feedback: (29)

I built a deep vee from 1/4 ply formers and doorskin. I got the engine at homedepot for $ 99 ( I went with the homelight with the clutch so i could sit and idle in the water) It took a little while to build (inbetween the airplanes ) The boat goes about 35 mph and is so fun! plus, I can run about 35-40 min. on a tank of gas!!and it only costs 2.00 a gallon!!

dirtman-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

Hey, try this link to Jims RC Boat Dock.
Lots of really good info on gas boats!!
http://home.austin.rr.com/jnissen/rcboat.html

Seabiscuit

I just finished handbuilding a glass boat.
It was a copy of another boat that I have and it cost me quite a bit to make.
Granted, most of the cost was due to lack of experience.
I used plaster to make a mold and then handlaid the glass into that.
If my mold would have come out nicer I may not have spent nearly as much time sanding and filling as I did, but I am happy with the results.
I was attempting to get out cheap by making my own hull.
Now though, I would have to agree that with the cost of most hulls that you may just be better off buying one.
Then, after you see how they put that one together and you are not frustrated to death and haven't spent all your money you may feel industrious enough to build your own.
I personally fall into the category of having no life and an engineering mentallity....bored and creative are a volitile mixture.

SB...

wa11y

i as well just made my first weed boat , from scratch, and with a small budget. Under $125.00. its okay, the hull needs to be lighter. mine is 16lbs. i am using a 31cc Tim Allen sig. series.now all i need to do is make another hull. good luck

imaximus

I'm in the process of making my own boat also.

I'm about 1/4 of the way done, just started last weekend.

It's going to be a 1/5th scale 1940s chris-craft style mahogany runabout powered by a 25cc homelite w/clutch found on ebay for $20 (the guy that had it broke the shaft first time out, ouch!).

The materials so far are frames, planking, and outter mahogany planking. all of which have cost nothing so far.

The mahogany veneer (16th in) was headed for the garbage after being left over from the conference table repair. There is nearly 4 full 18"x36" sheets. Some in better shape than others, but still usable.

The frames are just 1/4 in birch ply. and the inner planking is 1/8in ply.

If you've never built a wooden boat, this undertaking can be a little daunting, but if following basic techniques it isn't difficult. Lots of books on boat building at the library.

I can imagine that building a glass boat would be a little expensive with just materials, especially since most people don't have extra fiberglass materials lying around. But if you're a woodworker you probably have plenty of extra wood lying around, especially if you build like I do =P

There are people who make scale craft of this caliber CatchaBreeze models but they only have 1/8th scale...and don't even bother looking at the price! $1800. Dumas has a similar boat kit but even then, that cost is a little steep for a model that's 1/8th scale.

If you have the patience and determination, making your own boat can be a blast. However, if speed is all you want, this is probably not the way to go. Light weight = speed, and usually building your own means the boat isn't going to be light.

To each his/her own.

gbeckwith

Along these lines, where can I buy a fiberglass scarab hull only? Must be available online as I am stationed in Japan. Thanks.